STATE ENTERPRISE.

Marlborough Express, Volume LI, Issue 230, 28 September 1917, Page 2

STATE ENTERPRISE.

During discussion in the House today, on workers' compensation for accidents, the general question of State enterprise was gone into. Several Member:? urged that the State should take over the whole of the insurance business of the country.

After lengthy discussion, Sir Joseph Ward rose and put it to the House that it had never been the policy of the Government when the State Departments were brought into being to drive private enterprise out of existence. The very institutions which several Members were endeavoring to destroy had beon the backbone of the country in its infancy. When the country wanted money they were compelled to go to those institutions. Mr Poland interjected lhat if the State controlled the whole of the business'there would ba no need to apply to anyone for money. They could get it from their own offices. Sir Joseph Ward insisted that in these times they had to be prudent. Tho province of State concerns was not to destroy private business, but to act as a check on those private concerns. The functions of State offices were to act as regulators of rates.